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Beginners FAQ on sausage making, meat curing etc may often be found at the head of each relevant section, but here is the place to ask experienced users for advice if you are still stuck or need more information...we're here to help!

I just started making sausages at home and I love it. Lots of fun experimenting! I use collagen casing for convenience. Here are my questions.

1. Why do the sausages need to sit in the fridge overnight?2. How soon can I cook the sausages after I make them? Overnight sound like at least 8 hours. 3. The meat keeps spilling a bit when cooking. Is there a way to avoid it?4. Is it a bad idea to boil sausages that uses collagen cases?

What type of sausages are you making?1 - normally a recipe will say to let them sit overnight to set up (stiffen). Unless it contains curing salt in which case it is to allow time for the reactions to take place.2 - depending on the type of sausage you can cook them immediately. As above, if it contains a cure many recipes recommend 8-24hours3 - What do you mean by spilling? What type of sausage? If you mean you are frying breakfast sausage links and the sausage is blowing out of the ends of each link that is difficult to prevent. You could try stuffing the casings less full so the meat can expand inside the casing instead of being forced out as the casing shrinks during cooking.4 - No experience, I'll leave that for others to comment.

I just started making sausages at home and I love it. Lots of fun experimenting! I use collagen casing for convenience. Here are my questions.

1. Why do the sausages need to sit in the fridge overnight?

You do not have to ... but the sausage taste better after sitting overnight as it lets the spices meld/mix with the meat .. a term that is called 'blooming' ... your flavour profile develops and increases

2. How soon can I cook the sausages after I make them? Overnight sound like at least 8 hours.

You can if you wish cook as soon as you have made the if you like .. but remember that your flavour profile will be much better after resting overnight in the fridge

[3. The meat keeps spilling a bit when cooking. Is there a way to avoid it?

you have not said how you are cooking the sausage ... I would recommend that you cook on a low to medium heat and above all .. do not attack with any sharp instruments while cooking

4. Is it a bad idea to boil sausages that uses collagen cases?

A one word answer .... yes

If you are going to cook sausage in a liquid ... any liquid one should poach rather than boil --- cook gently rather that rapid -- I have found that collagen casings tend to leach out the flavour when cooking in water .. I prefer using natural casings